The family of Boniface Mwangi Kariuki, a mask seller caught in the chaos of the June 17 protests, is grappling with devastating news: doctors at Kenyatta National Hospital have informed them that he is brain dead.
According to the family, Kariuki has shown no signs of brainstem activity a condition that doctors consider irreversible. Despite his heart continuing to beat with the help of machines, the medical team has explained that he can no longer breathe on his own, meaning that, in medical and legal terms, he is no longer alive.
Kariuki was shot during protests in Nairobi, and has remained in the Intensive Care Unit since. He underwent emergency surgery to remove a bullet-like object lodged in his brain. While preliminary reports suggest it could have been a rubber bullet, the hospital says more forensic tests are required to confirm that.
On Sunday, his family addressed the press with heavy hearts. “We got a call at 12:47am from the hospital. They asked us to come in for a meeting. That’s when they told us the news Boniface is brain dead,” a family representative said.
As the family tries to come to terms with the painful reality, the weight of a growing hospital bill adds to their burden. The cost of his care has now surpassed Ksh3 million. His father, Jonah Kariuki, made an emotional appeal to Kenyans for financial support.
“We’re asking for help. His heart is still beating, but the doctors have told us his brain is no longer functioning. We can’t carry this on our own,” he said.
Kenyatta National Hospital CEO Dr. William Sigilai had earlier confirmed that Kariuki was among those who underwent surgery following the protests. Though the exact nature of the projectile removed from his brain remains unclear, Sigilai noted that early indications pointed to a rubber bullet.
Kariuki’s story is one of many emerging from the nationwide demonstrations, which have seen multiple injuries and growing calls for police accountability.
